CEIC Case Studies

The Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) project has a number of case studies that demonstrate the success of our approach. CEIC builds on concepts proved within two Welsh Government funded predecessor projects, Open Innovation Communities of Practice (OICoP) and Developing Innovation Performance of Firms and Supply Chain Clusters (DIPFSCC).

Developing Innovation Performance of Firms and Supply Chain Clusters (DIPFSCC)

The DIPFSCC project was a Swansea University led SMARTExpertise project funded by the ERDF. It addressed barriers to innovation and the development of new R&D with a Welsh-based manufacturing supply chain.

Welsh Water

Doing things differently

"The programme was very good for us in the position we were in. We knew as a business looking out to 2050 that our vision to build a more resilient organisation would require us to do things very differently... we needed to understand our problems and their solutions."

Trystan Davies

Application of an innovation model

"We used what we'd learnt on the programme to go back to our supplier and discuss our challenges we experienced with the product and what we thought needed to be done differently."

Trystan Davies

Process and modelling

"Through DIPFSCC we framed the problem, identified our key needs, and then talked through designs with our suppliers"

Trystan Davies

Added value

"Our new solution will generate data that will help us in our asset management in the long run to understand when and how effectively we can maintain an asset, and when that product has come to the end of its useful life"

Trystan Davies

Supplier relationships

"We've definitely developed more effective supplier relationships. We understand what their capabilities are, being open on both fronts, allowing us to understand how these relationships could be applied to our general estate of equipment"

Trystan Davies

Bringing innovation alive

"The programme was a great opportunity to bring other people from Welsh Water, who aren't necessarily involved directly in the innovation team, to get training and observe what other people are doing in order to bring innovation alive."

Euan Hampton

Application of the model

"For too long we've relied on the industry to present tools and techniques to us and almost use that to fit the problems we have. We should be discussing our problems and developing together."

Euan Hampton

Bringing expertise together

"Working with our suppliers to actually visualise the operation and implementation of the solution was very useful"

Euan Hampton

Sharing problems and challenges

"My goal from the sessions was to test how Welsh Water can deal with product development and how, as an organisation, we need to change in terms of working with others and sharing our problems and challenges"

Euan Hampton

An appetite for innovation

"It was really useful for Welsh Water to be seen as a company who wants to innovate and bring suppliers together"

Euan Hampton

Picture of a group of people working together

Open Innovation Communities of Practice (OiCoP)

The Open Innovation Community of Practice programme built upon the DIPFSCC methodology to include companies across different sectors. The programme utilised the principles of open innovation to build Communities of Practice (CoP).

Ford Engine Plant

About Ford

"We needed an area to be creative in and develop different technologies. We got the idea from the innovation workshop on OiCoP - it gave us an idea of how to design the innovation lab to best fit what we wanted to do"

Phil Moreton

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The value of collaborating with others

"Very early on we realised that we didn't know everything and we needed to engage with local academia and local companies. Being involved in the innovation workshops and running some of our project ideas through the Human Centered Design model actually with potential customers has allowed us to develop a better product."

Phil Moreton

Find out more about the CEIC approach

Lessons learnt on the programme

"Traditionally we're process engineers - we know how to put engines together, but we don't - or didn't know - how to design products and bring them to a market. So learning about the UX model and human centered design approach to develop our products was absolutely key to every single project we've worked on"

Phil Moreton

3D Printing

"Learning about the circular economy gave us the idea to go back and look at the materials we were using - we have now sourced recycled materials which have led to cost savings and have improved engine performance"

Phil Moreton

Sharing best practice

"Our innovation lab has given huge kudos to the plant, and is now going to be replicated in lots of other engine plants across Europe, because this is seen as the way to run the innovation side of the business"

Phil Moreton